Mango lovers will vouch for its lusciousness, lingering nectar-like after taste, and above all, its versatility. The grand fruit lends itself, and graciously so, to all manner of flavors and fares. It could be dunked in a sweet and spicy chutney base, or juiced up and slurried into mocktails. What you could also do with it, if you’re left, by the end of the season like us, with a truckload of the king of fruits, is pair it with chocolate and whisk up a batch of gooey, gorgeous brownies. It’s the kind of recipe that, just like the fruit, is malleable and lets you tinker and tussle until you have the perfect tango of tastes. Not that we endorse any other fruit in it, just yet. We’re still relishing the last crumbs of this mangoey, chocolicious dessert..

Mango-nut Brownies(Makes 16)

Dry Ingredients –

½ cup (65gm) all purpose flour / maida

3 tbsp (20gm) cocoa

¼ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

½ cup (113gm) butter, melted

1 cup (200gm) sugar, ground fine

2 eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

¼ tsp mango essence

1 cup fresh mango puree

½ cup walnuts, roasted and chopped (reserve 1 tbsp for garnish)

½ cup white chocolate chips (reserve 1 tbsp for garnish)

Preheat the oven to 180ºC / 350ºF.

Grease an 8″ or 9″ square pan, line with parchment paper and set aside.

Sift the dry ingredients together and set aside.

Melt the butter in a large mixing bowl and stir in the sugar. Set aside to cool

Once the butter is cool whisk in the eggs, vanilla, mango essence and mango puree.

Mix in the dry ingredients.

Finally stir in the walnuts and chocolate chips.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 40 min. Cool the brownies in the pan. Make the mango-sugar glaze (recipe follows).

Cut the brownies into 16 squares but do not remove them from the pan. Drizzle with the mango sugar glaze and sprinkle the reserved walnuts and chips on top. Then place the brownies on a serving plate or storage box.

If you are not using the glaze you can also put a teaspoon of icing sugar in a sieve and dust the brownies with it.

Mango-sugar glaze

1 tbsp fresh mango puree

½ cup icing sugar, sifted

1 tsp cold milk / mango nectar or as required

Stir together the mango puree and icing sugar. Add milk/mango nectar one teaspoon at a time until you get a flowing glaze. Pour the glaze over the brownies.

Store the brownies in the refrigerator in a covered container for 2-3 days. Or, freeze the unglazed brownies, well wrapped, for a couple of weeks. Thaw at room temperature for a few minutes before serving.